To thrive, politics needs people such as Labour's Tony Benn, who stand by
their convictions

The death of Tony Benn represents the death of a generational attitude. Many of the politicians of his time had fought in the war and, regardless of their philosophy, were inspired by a profound love of country. If his ideological opposite was Margaret Thatcher, it is interesting to note that they respected each other and both put a high value on serving the public. The outpouring of Conservative tributes to Mr Benn is a testament to his character.

Of course, there is a strong difference between the two: one moved with the tide of history, the other did not. When Britain sunk into malaise and industrial anarchy in the 1970s, Mrs Thatcher grasped that she had to build a new consensus around popular capitalism. By contrast, Mr Benn’s radicalisation led him to the extreme Left, essentially looking backwards. To read his list of demands is to return to a different age: abolition of the House of Lords, a nationalisation agenda that threatened to put Marks & Spencer into public ownership, no curbs on union power. Ironically, it was union militancy that brought the government of James Callaghan down – and Mr Benn with it. Labour’s moderates eventually heeded the lessons and moved towards Thatcherism. Mr Benn did not.

Over time, however, he graduated to the status of a political icon. Many younger people will remember him not as a firebrand but as a genial diarist and the conscience of his party. To thrive, politics needs people of principle, which is why this one will be greatly missed.